Kylian Mbappé's Ankle Injury Raises Concerns Ahead of France's World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid's star forward, sustained a worrying right ankle injury during his team's La Liga match against Villarreal, winning 3-1, as reported by La Dépêche. Mbappé scored the match's third goal in the 81st minute but was forced off the pitch shortly after due to the injury. Medical staff attended to him on the field, and he was substituted by Rodrygo in the 83rd minute, leaving the stadium visibly in pain.

Following the game, which secured Real Madrid's temporary lead in the Spanish league standings, Mbappé went directly to the locker room. Despite the injury, he is expected to join the French national team at their Clairefontaine training camp to prepare for the critical World Cup 2026 qualifiers. France is scheduled to face Azerbaijan at Parc des Princes on October 10 and then play Iceland on October 13.

These upcoming matches are part of the early qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlighting the importance of Mbappé’s fitness for the national team's title aspirations. The injury's timing poses concerns for both Real Madrid and France as Mbappé plays a pivotal role in each squad.

Additionally, the French national team has welcomed Jean-Philippe Mateta, currently playing for Crystal Palace, into the squad under coach Didier Deschamps. Mateta may become the eighth player from the Indre region to represent France if he takes the field in the qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland, weeks after his tenure at Berrichonne from 2014 to 2016.

Mbappé's injury status will be closely monitored as France prepares to launch its World Cup qualification campaign, with fans and officials alike eagerly awaiting updates on the star forward’s recovery and availability.